The Bible and Astrology, by Anthony Bigwood 1891

THERE is scarcely a book written on Astrology but what has for its introduction certain portions of the Holy Scriptures in order to prove how the Almighty Creator ordained to a certain extent the science of Astronomy and revealed Astrology to mortal man, by which he may foresee, or rather prophecy, events to come; but some of the strongest points which the Holy Bible contains upon the science, and how it was worked, I consider have been overlooked by some writers. One may commence at the first chapter of Genesis and go through the whole Bible, and if he does so with an unprejudiced mind, he may see the "figure of Astrology in every book he reads; but it is not my desire to tire our readers with every quotation which may be brought forth, or which have been noticed before, but to simply draw their attention to one or two points which may have escaped the observation of many, and then leave them to "search the Scriptures."

My object is to assist fellow students who have a difficulty in convincing their friends and non-students of the righteousness of the science, and not exactly to prove its perfection.

Some people look upon one as an unholy being if he speaks in favour of Astrology, but there were always "Astrologers" and "soothsayers," and if one can put his finger upon a passage of Scripture and show how he is following the line of the "true Astrologers" and how God Himself ordained this very science through which to make known His will to His prophets, or that they spoke by this science through His inspiration, it will have a wonderful effect upon all concerned.

The few points I will touch upon are with reference to Joseph, Balaam, Isaiah and Daniel. Astrology, as we understand it today, was understood by Jacob and his family, for we find that Joseph (the dreamer) dreamt the "Sun, Moon, and eleven stars bowed themselves to him." The lad not knowing what this meant, ran to ask his father the interpretation of it, when Jacob told him, without any hesitation, that his father and mother and eleven brethren should bow down and serve him, the Sun representing his father, the Moon his mother, and the eleven planets, we may suppose, were the eleven signs of the zodiac, himself being the twelfth.

The twelve signs of the zodiac are said to be symbolical of the twelve tribes of Israel. It may be well to mention a curious coincidence in the Revelation of St. John; when describing the "Heavenly Jerusalem," he says, "there were twelve gates on the north, south, east and west, each three gates, and named after the twelve tribes of Israel."

Take next the 22nd chapter of Numbers, and read the case of Balaam, who in the 13th chapter of Joshua is called a "soothsayer." He appears to have been well-known as a man who had some mysterious knowledge of blessing and cursing, as it is called, but it does not appear that he is to be looked upon as a "true prophet," but one who doubtless was puffed up with pride and worked the science for his financial advancement. God, however, made a mouth-piece of him this time to confound Balak by inspiring him to answer his questions truthfully. It appears that he must have worked by Horary Astrology, considering the different times and places he was asked the same question; but in this case the times and places appeared to be always against Balak.

The next point is one of the strongest on the science of Astrology which I find in the Bible. This is the case of Hezekiah. When Isaiah told Hezekiah that the time had come when he must die, he without a shadow of doubt spoke through Astrology, for when he found that Hezekiah "wept sore," he asked again the question if he should die, to the effect that a mistake had been made in the calculation of the Sun's arc, and that the Sun-dial of Ahaz should be put back ten degrees. "And the word of the Lord came unto Isaiah, saying, behold I will add unto thy days fifteen years; and I will bring again the shadow of the degrees which is gone down in the Sun-dial of Ahaz ten degrees backward." This is very conclusive. If the Sun's arc did not indicate Hezekiah's death, why should the "word of the Lord" mention the Sun at all? This is nothing more or less than the "primary directions" of today. The calculation of fifteen years as against ten degrees may be accounted for by "secondary directions," as we call them, and shows how the Almighty God inspired Isaiah, His chosen prophet, to speak His word, and make known His will through this science; and as He is "the same yesterday, to-day and forever," He undoubtedly uses the same method of inspiration today to those whom He has chosen to be His "true prophets."

One more; not the least of Astrologers we find in Daniel; indeed he had the royal appointment as the "Chief of Astrologers," and were he not one, or did not believe in or practise the science for prophetic purposes, zealous man that he proved to be, he would have scorned such a title. Without quoting every word of Daniel v., allow me to suggest that the eastern kings were Parsees or such-like Sun worshippers, and that the palaces of Babylon were very carefully constructed with pillars, sun-dials, &c., doubtless for astrological purposes.

Belshazzar saw a shadow which alarmed him, as a man's handwriting on the wall. Probably the transit of a planet across the Sun would cause the same. No one but the chief of the Astrologers could reveal the thing to him. Daniel doubtless holding such an office, had the record of the birth of the king and his children, with directions worked out, so that when asked a question by his royal master, was not at a loss to answer him. This strange conjunction of the heavenly bodies, Daniel at once knew, was (to the king) to be interpreted as Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.

There is another point worthy of mention, viz., when Daniel shews Nebuchadnezzar the power of his knowledge and told him finally, "Thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule."—Vide Dan. iv. 26.ANTHONY BIGWOOD